FL FL - David Hamilton or Armantrout - Lee Co - 1963

[AlexFromnic]

Surviving brother Donald last seen his brother David briefly in 1962. David was arrested for vagrency in 1963 in Dade County Florida.

I found a possible match: The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs)

Other than the age and first name listed on paperwork matching this descendent was found on the other side of the country from where our missing person was last known to be. Probably not him but maybe. He was transient.

David Hamilton may still be alive. He would be 81 today. My fear is he may be a john doe. I'd love to see this one solved.

 

[YaYa_521]

David is an older brother of Bibb Co JD, ID'd as Daniel Armantrout (UID thread linked below).

Teen hitchhiker identified 60 years after dying in Alabama wreck still has missing brother

David Armentrout disappeared shortly after his 15-year-old brother, Danny, died in a wreck in Bibb County in 1961.

www.al.com

Nov. 02, 2021
SBM

With the mystery of “Unknown Boy” now solved, those involved in the case now hope that identifying Armantrout will help close the book on another.

David Armantrout, one of Danny Armantrout’s older brothers, disappeared shortly after Danny ran away, according to Bibb County Coroner CW West.

If alive, David Armantrout would be 79 years old. But not much else is known about his disappearance.

At a press conference on Monday, it was said the last known sighting of David was in Lee County, Florida in 1963. It was also said he might have gone by the last name Hamilton.

#More at link above

Identified! - AL - Bibb Co, WhtMal UP13483, 14-17, MVA/hitchhiker, tattoo: RY + LOVE Mar'61 - Daniel Armantrout

https://identifyus.org/en/cases/13483 http://www.tuscaloosanews.com/article/20051211/NEWS/512110375 Unidentified hitchhiker - Bibb County residents were shocked to hear reports about a 14-17 year old Caucasian male hitchhiker who died in a crash when the vehicle he was being escorted in...

www.websleuths.com

 

[MadMcGoo]

HIS NAME IS DANNY | The Bibb Voice

www.bibbvoice.com

Now, more than sixty years after his death, the unknown hitchhiker and automobile accident victim has been identified as Daniel Paul “Danny” Armantrout, born December 28, 1945 in Miami, FL. His father was Alfred Valentine Armantrout who died in 1973 in Georgia. His mother was Virginia Leocadie Berner, born in 1921 in New Jersey and died in 2011 in Florida.

David also left home in 1961 and has never been located. Efforts are still ongoing to locate the still missing sibling. His name is David Alfred Armantrout and he has also may have been known as David Alfred Hamilton.

Teen hitchhiker killed in Alabama crash identified through genetic genealogy after 60 years

The identification of 15-year-old Daniel Paul “Danny” Armantrout is the oldest case involving the National Center for Missing & Exploited Children to be solved using DNA and genealogy.

www.kiro7.com

She and her new husband moved her three sons, including Danny, to Tennessee, but it was not a happy time, the news site reported. Eventually, Danny left home.

His surviving brother, who was in the U.S. Army at the time, never got to say goodbye.

“When (the brother) came back home, he realized Danny had run away,” West said. “He didn’t know where he went or how to find him.”

The third brother, David Armantrout, who was the oldest of the three, also ran away shortly after Danny left. David, who may have gone by the last name of Hamilton, remains missing.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Maybe we can find a photo someplace. The only thing to go on really is that he probably resembled his brother who we’ve only seen post mortem photos of.

 

[AlexFromnic]

Do we know what it says on his birth certificate? Is it Hamilton or Armantrout? And beyond that if anyone had his social security number they can see if it was used. If I had to guess I would say David is a John Doe likely to be found in Florida but then again... who knows.

 

[summergirl1]

The possible match first posted in this thread is interesting. It is possible he changed his last name to distance himself from his family and past although I doubt he got to the West Coast..but you never know. " David Naval" or whoever he was, sounds like an interesting case in his own right and should have a thread on here. What was the exact birth date on David Armantrout?

 

[AlexFromnic]

The possible match first posted in this thread is interesting. It is possible he changed his last name to distance himself from his family and past although I doubt he got to the West Coast..but you never know. " David Naval" or whoever he was, sounds like an interesting case in his own right and should have a thread on here. What was the exact birth date on David Armantrout?

So I can double check on the exact birthrate but I remember we do have a year of birth and I matched it up with that john doe in Los Angeles. The SS card said that man would be 67 in 1999 and indeed that would of been the age on David Hamilton / Armantrout. So anyway the story goes that Hamilton was their stepfather last name who badly mistreated them. David was homeless in Florida we know because of his vagrency arrest which is the last known contact. So my theory goes he went to Florida because he was homeless(huge homeless population there) where else is a huge homeless population? In Los Angeles. Anyway, he changes his name because it wasn't on his birth certificate anyway supposedly younger brother Donald finds out his real name isn't Hamilton when he joins the military. Only one to make it out of the house okay. David couldn't join supposedly because his eyesight I may be wrong on that gotta double check. Anyway, Naval sounds like a fake name to me. Total shot in the dark but maybe he tried joining the Navy? Anyway first name and age plus vagrency matches could be someone else either way the case is interesting.

 

[AlexFromnic]

Bump* hope someone can think of something. We know he was arrested for vagrancy. Is there a register anyway for homeless people in the country that can be accessed who have gotten assistance in some way or another from a homeless shelter or government/public assistance of any kind that can be accessed? Or at this point anything to progress this

 

[phantomstrider]

Bump* hope someone can think of something. We know he was arrested for vagrancy. Is there a register anyway for homeless people in the country that can be accessed who have gotten assistance in some way or another from a homeless shelter or government/public assistance of any kind that can be accessed? Or at this point anything to progress this

Maybe someone can try to get him added to namus as a missing person.

 

[AlexFromnic]

Maybe someone can try to get him added to namus as a missing person.

Bump*

On another note is it possible to get David on the namus site? Does it have to be a family member or does there need to be a missing persons report? I would hope there was a missing person's report after all this but I fear it isn't the case.

I've heard a lot of stories of people being buried in potters fields/records being lost in the US especially in small towns. Supposedly David Hamilton/Armantrout was arrested for vagrancy in 1963 and his Social Security number has never been used. Knowing this I'd guess he died sometime in the 1960s and likely his records are beyond finding.

That's why I posted about David Naval. Same exact age and first name plus phony social security paperwork. This is probably #1 on my wish list because I'm sure interested in the story but it seems almost impossible to solve to me at this point.

 

[AlexFromnic]

I feel strongly that this one isn't getting solved without some kind of Christmas miracle. I don't think we got a missing person's report on him. Trail goes cold in 1963. No known contacts or place to call home. No picture. Just closest thing is his deceased brothers picture as far as guessing what he looks like. We got hardly anything.

I feel stronvgly this case can only be solved by a web sleuth. Someone that finds something. Not sure what. Something social media related perhaps? Newspaper? We need a hero on this one.

 

[phantomstrider]

I feel strongly that this one isn't getting solved without some kind of Christmas miracle. I don't think we got a missing person's report on him. Trail goes cold in 1963. No known contacts or place to call home. No picture. Just closest thing is his deceased brothers picture as far as guessing what he looks like. We got hardly anything.

I feel stronvgly this case can only be solved by a web sleuth. Someone that finds something. Not sure what. Something social media related perhaps? Newspaper? We need a hero on this one.

This reminds me of the case of Albert frost who has a missing sister Clara frost who hasn’t been found.

 

[summergirl1]

It doesn't seem to be known if there is DNA on "David Naval". Since Danny's DNA is known, then it would be easy to see if "David Naval" is indeed his missing brother. Many Does in California are cremated and I believe all are in LA in recent decades. But given that it was 1999 when "David Naval", died I would assume something was saved that could provide DNA, if he doesn't have DNA on file. Beyond that, if David was an unidentified John Doe that has DNA on file, then I would assume his brother Danny's DNA would have identified him by now.

So if he's a John Doe there is record of, he has no DNA on file. And he could be a John Doe whose remains were never found. If he has or had descendants, they ( or even him) have obviously never tested with any DNA databases that genetic genealogists use or they would have been found through Danny's DNA. I don't know if there is record of his Social Security number. If he changed his name, he may have gotten another one, too.

 

[AlexFromnic]

Maybe we can find a photo someplace. The only thing to go on really is that he probably resembled his brother who we’ve only seen post mortem photos of.

Bumping and also reviewing these posts this stood out to me. I initially passed it over but now I'm realizing this may just be the only move we have. Can anyone help my figure out what highschool these guys would have gone to? I'm trying to track it down now. From there I want to see if I can find a yearbook. It may require getting boots on the ground and doing it but I'm prepared to go out there if needed and do it. This case is my #1 right now after his brother the Bibb county Doe was found.

I can attempt to do this and also the other move would be to speak to older people in the area of Lee County Florida. But that's a long shot and a half. I'll also be reviewing local area john does in Florida looking for a match. I review this case every few months.

 

[AlexFromnic]

It doesn't seem to be known if there is DNA on "David Naval". Since Danny's DNA is known, then it would be easy to see if "David Naval" is indeed his missing brother. Many Does in California are cremated and I believe all are in LA in recent decades. But given that it was 1999 when "David Naval", died I would assume something was saved that could provide DNA, if he doesn't have DNA on file. Beyond that, if David was an unidentified John Doe that has DNA on file, then I would assume his brother Danny's DNA would have identified him by now.

So if he's a John Doe there is record of, he has no DNA on file. And he could be a John Doe whose remains were never found. If he has or had descendants, they ( or even him) have obviously never tested with any DNA databases that genetic genealogists use or they would have been found through Danny's DNA. I don't know if there is record of his Social Security number. If he changed his name, he may have gotten another one, too.

Hold on great point here. Genetic genealogy. But the issue is if even they have David Hamilton/Armantrouts DNA as a John Doe somewhere then how many of these are actually loaded up to match on DNA websites? I'd like to think all of them are but honestly I don't know if they are or if they are forgotten about laying around somewhere in police custody. I'm thinking that is more likely the case.

 

[MadMcGoo]

I’ll do some more research and see if I can find anything new.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Here’s what I’ve found so far. I’ll add to it if I find more.

2 Feb 1942: David is born in Miami.

Feb 1943: David was in a Miami Better Baby show.

Nov 1943: Don is born.

1945: Dade County, Florida census (Alfred Armantrout, Virginia, David and Donald):

Dec 1945: Danny is born in Miami.

1946: Alfred and Virginia divorce.

Dec 1946: James Hamilton and Virginia marry in Columbia, Florida.

April 1950: Jacksonville, Florida census (James Hamilton, Virginia, David, Donald and Daniel).

1961/1962: Left the Tennessee home (stepfathers’ obituary lists Maryville).

1963: Arrested for vagrancy in Dade County, Florida.

1963: Last known sighting in Lee County, Florida.

 

[MadMcGoo]

Unknown no more: Man whose brother died nameless in Centreville finally has closure - WVUA 23

By WVUA 23 News Reporter Joseph King CENTREVILLE–After decades of uncertainty regarding what happened, on Dec. 28 Don Hamilton rested his hands atop the grave of his brother Daniel Paul Armantrout, 60 years after he was buried there and identified only as Unknown Boy. Armantrout died March 27...

www.wvua23.com

“We were both young teenagers in Paris, Tennessee, and we had just got through going hunting up in the mountains for a squirrel while I was on leave from basic training in the army,” Hamilton said. “I left to go back to basic training and Danny left home.”

 

[AlexFromnic]

Here’s what I’ve found so far. I’ll add to it if I find more.

2 Feb 1942: David is born in Miami.

Feb 1943: David was in a Miami Better Baby show.

Nov 1943: Don is born.

1945: Dade County, Florida census (Alfred Armantrout, Virginia, David and Donald):

Dec 1945: Danny is born in Miami.

1946: Alfred and Virginia divorce.

Dec 1946: James Hamilton and Virginia marry in Columbia, Florida.

April 1950: Jacksonville, Florida census (James Hamilton, Virginia, David, Donald and Daniel).

1961/1962: Left the Tennessee home (stepfathers’ obituary lists Maryville).

1963: Arrested for vagrancy in Dade County, Florida.

1963: Last known sighting in Lee County, Florida.

Absolutely fantastic incredible work. I'm thinking of doing a yearbook hunt. Maybe I can get somewhere with that.

It really appears as if David also is a young Doe. Which is incredible.. a family with 2 unidentified Does. The issue is I'm not sure if the documentation of Does were properly handled in Florida in the 1960s. I've heard bad things about that in particular. Can anyone attest to the situation in which Does are dealt with and documented after being found in the 1960s?

My logic tells me David didn't live much past 1963 and likely ended do to an overdose/suicide/or accident.

 

[AlexFromnic]

Questions for websleuths that relate to this case:

#1 How were john does handled by law enforcement in the 60s? Was there a difference between small towns and the cities?

#2 Are there any reasons why someone may not continue using their social security number that don't relate directly with death? Is there any reasonable situation in which his last contact with law enforcement be vagrancy in 1963?

More will be added if I can think of any +++